The iPhone Is Finally Ready for the Enterprise

By Don Reisinger |
Posted 2009-06-13

The iPhone Is Finally Ready for the Enterprise

It took three years and three generations for
Apple to finally get it right, but it looks like the iPhone is finally
ready to take on Research In Motion in the enterprise. The iPhone
software Version 3.0 features some of the most enterprise-friendly features we've
seen in any iPhone to date. And its focus on design, apps and a
full-featured experience ensures it will continue to be a major player in the
space going forward.

Of course, RIM can't be happy about it. That
company is currently leading in the enterprise without much competition from
other companies. According to the company in its 2009 Annual Report,
"The enterprise market continues to be very important to RIM's
business." It claimed in that report that more than 175,000
organizations are now using BlackBerry Enterprise Server behind a corporate
firewall. Its healthiest user base growth has come from the government, law
enforcement, health care and education sectors. And with the help of two
new BlackBerry devices released over the past year-the BlackBerry Bold and the
BlackBerry Storm-the company is doing its part to stay ahead.

But is it enough? Apple has slowly, but
surely, made progress with its iPhone. When it was first released in 2007,
it had few enterprise-friendly features. Last year, with its iPhone 3G, it
added faster network connectivity and an App Store that allowed developers to
create business-focused apps. But it wasn't until Apple finally announced
the iPhone 3.0 software that the enterprise took notice. It features push
e-mail, calendar, and contacts; Exchange support; copy and paste; Spotlight
search; voice memos; and an improved calendar. It's a more capable
software package.

It also doesn't help RIM that Apple is
releasing the iPhone 3G S. That device is reportedly
twice as fast as the current iPhone 3G. And at a price that's
relatively affordable-$199 for the base model-it's not a stretch to say the
iPhone 3G S is the most attractive iPhone yet.

But just how attractive is that iPhone? Let's
dig a little deeper to see why it's the best choice for the enterprise when it
hits store shelves next week.

The New Features

Say what you will about the BlackBerry and its enterprise support, but with
the inclusion of push e-mail, calendar and contacts in the new iPhone, it's
immediately more attractive than previous versions of the software. And
thanks to Exchange support, more companies will find reasons to use it. But
there's one feature that the iPhone finally has that makes it all the more
appealing to the enterprise: tethering.

The Importance of the App
Store

Tethering has been a common feature in most
BlackBerry devices for quite some time. Users can attach their
smartphones to a PC via USB and share its
Internet connection with the computer, giving it access to the Web. It's a
feature that many in the business world require to get their job done. And
it has been a conspicuous omission in previous iterations of the iPhone
software. But now, it's available in the new iPhone software version, and
companies are undoubtedly taking notice.

The App Store

There's no debating that the iPhone is now capable of providing an
experience that's similar to what RIM has been offering with its BlackBerry
devices for years. But that doesn't necessarily make it more
appealing. At most, the new iPhone software version puts it on par with
what RIM already offers. Realizing that, it's necessary that the
enterprise find those features that make the iPhone more appealing before it
can decide which device it should use next. And nowhere is that more
apparent than in the Apple App Store.

RIM has a relatively new app store called the BlackBerry App
World. It's growing. But at this point, it doesn't match Apple's
store on any level. According to Apple in its keynote earlier this week at
the World Wide Developers Conference, its store now has over 50,000 apps. Some
are free and others are paid. A quick glance at the "Business"
listing of apps in the store reveals 57 pages of free and paid apps. That's
more than 1,000 apps designed specifically for the iPhone that appeals in some
way to the business world. And in my experience, many of those apps (I'm
looking at you, QuickOffice) are ideal for what businesses are doing.

Apple's App Store extends the functionality of the device far beyond
anything RIM can do with its own stable of apps from the BlackBerry App
World. It's a real issue for RIM-and a real advantage for Apple.

Pricing

RIM's BlackBerry is expensive. Even with a two-year contract, the BlackBerry
Bold costs $249.99. The BlackBerry Storm will set users back
$199.99. Compare that to the iPhone 3G's price tag of $99 and the iPhone
3G S's baseline price tag of $199, and it quickly becomes clear that for your
money, you're getting far more from the iPhone than the
BlackBerry. Consumers already know that. How long will it take before
the enterprise finds out too?

You can bet it won't be long. Once the
iPhone software Version 3.0 is released and the iPhone 3G S hits store shelves,
the enterprise will finally have the software it needs to make the switch to
the iPhone. It won't be easy and there will be some issues along the way,
but rest assured that the iPhone is the future in the enterprise. And RIM
and its competitors better take notice.